


She Who Dances With Devils

by Shadow1877



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Faeformers, Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-14 01:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16903701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow1877/pseuds/Shadow1877
Summary: A young girl tragically loses her family and begs for the help a dark entity who points her in the direction of a job... but not just any job; Liva works increasingly dangerous shifts at a weird factory where things constantly go awry. The town whispers of strange beings in the surrounding forest, magic twisting people into cruel monsters.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on Zenxenophilia post linked here -> https://zenxenophilia.tumblr.com/post/166579661567/djd-fae-au-ideas#notes
> 
> And thank you Alex my great friend for helping me write this and beta-reading this!

A young, frail woman stumbled from her house, wiping her tears away as she looked back at the bed within, the covers drawn over the long forms of bodies under them, frail chestnut curls peering out from under one side.

Slowly she walked towards the barn with a large corgi sat, wagging its tail as she approached. When she was but a few feet away she stopped and waited for the corgi to slip inside the barn. Almost silently the woman followed and saw a strange sight in front of her.

There was a circle of candles now lit and the offerings of milk and meat from the last animal left were gone.

She knelt on the ground, bowing her head. "Lord of the forest and winter to come I conjure thee to speak to me, please." The woman whispered. "Do you understand my tongue Lord?"

"What do you want human?" Came a deep, growling voice as red eyes lit up in the shadows.

"Anything you may gift me with to serve you better Lord Megatron. My family has died and I have nothing more to offer you. Please, I plead to you to help me. I do not wish to die alone in the winter to come."

"Would you become my beloved?" The voice grinned cruelly, sharp teeth glinting in the soft light.

"Yes my Lord. Anything to serve you better." The other grew quiet, almost as though it was startled by her response.

"Then you have to prove yourself to me mortal. Go to the Shadow Court and survive their trials."

"Yes my Lord, I will go at once." The woman bowed deeply as she stood and left.

"A cruel fate Lord Megatron." Spoke another deep voice, a single red light glinting in a deer skull as the hulking creature moved closer.

"If she survives then she will be worthy." The other smirked. "Have the others burn this farm to the ground Shockwave. This land needs to be pure again."

"As you wish my Lord." The other rumbled and disappeared back into the shadows.

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Massive machines shuttered and creaked as they worked, humans working away diligently as a rather small woman skittered about on the catwalks above with her tool bag, checking gauges, belts and gears.

She painted small crude sigils on the massive tanks so they wouldn't burst, protection symbols on the cauldrons so no one would fall in and wished spells of luck and good fortune on the stairs as she descended them.

She was one of several new agile humans who worked in the massive factory to keep the machines running smoothly.

The Eastern side was for potion of all types being made in massive vats. The Northern area held the magic imbued fabrics for cloaks created for adventurers and soldiers.

Finally the Western part of the building held the blacksmiths who created fine magical armour for the army.

A sharp whistle was blown on one of the lower catwalks, making the girl pause in her work and look over the handrail.

"Miss Hviid! There's a fellow waiting out front for you!" The lanky man below called out to her.

"Thanks Raghnall! Beware of the seventh stairwell on the fifth floor, it's a bit slippery and there's a stair coming loose!" She called back.

Raghnall smiled up at her and continued on his way as she swung about the catwalks and pipes with practiced ease until reaching the ground floor.

Somewhere nearby she could hear a whistle sounding almost playfully. She grinned to herself as she glided swiftly around other workers until finally reaching the doors.

Quickly slipping through one she went from the brightly lit, hot and hard to breath in work floor to the clean, more warmly lit reception room.

"Hello Jabir, how are you doing?"

The young boy beamed up at the woman, grinning as he held up a small brown paper wrapped package. "Great Miss. Hviid! Mum asked me to bring this to you today."

"Why thank you Jabir. Here's a coin. Now, go back to your mother and tell her I said thank you and many blessings, okay?" The woman smiled softly as she took the package and placed a silver coin in his hand.

The boy clutched the coin tightly, "Yes Great Miss. Hviid! Many blessing to you as well!" And He ran off out of the door.

Miss. Hviid smiled as she tucked the package carefully into her bag and slipped back into the factory.

She moved swiftly through the people working on the floor and catwalks until she was back to her job fixing things.

Things grew busy for the last hours, people at hard work as she and a few others kept everything running smoothly.

The whistle blew once to signal dinner time and all but she and the other repair people left or relaxed for a quick dinner. Two more whistles blew to signal the end of two more shifts but she kept working tirelessly as people were closing things up and cooling the machines down.

"Hey Liva! Don't work all night alright?" Another female worker called to her as she clocked out.

"Yeah alright! Goodnight Tóth!"

"Goodnight Liva!" The door was shut and Liva was left alone, continuing to fix a straining gear.

She sighed softly as she relaxed back but jumped when a cog fell from higher above. Slowly picking it up she looked up to figure out where it had fallen from. There were no machines above her so that was strange.

From behind her there was a groan of metal and then something snapping. She cried out in pain as something caught the side of her leg and made her drop to one knee to clutch at the wound.

From behind her came a deep, laugher. Liva twisted around, baring her teeth in a sneer. "That's not nice you bas-..." Her anger fled and replaced itself with fear when she saw the large humanoid creature ginning over her.

The massive X band across its eyes and the strange furred clothing it wore gave away its identity immediately to her.

"Hello sir," She swallowed slowly. "I apologize for my rudeness, I thought you were someone else."

The creature stepped closer as Liva tried to think of a way out of her situation with the fae so close.

She thrashed as it grabbed her around the waist, lifting her higher until they were face to face.

One one massive hand it wrapped around her ankle it began to twist it, the joint grinding against bone.

Liva screamed in agony, thrashing and squirming to get out of the grip. "No! No! No! Please! I will please you in other ways! Please!" She let out another shrill scream and was sure something was tearing.

The fae's smile faltered, pausing in its movements as it watched Live whimper and sob in pain.

The fae dropped her on the floor with a soft sigh. "Bored now," it grumbled.

Liva whimpered, pulling her wounded leg close to her as the massive fae trudged off.

With a quick healing spell she ran from the factory, completely forgetting her bag as she ran to her little tent near the forest.

She stayed in her little home for a few days, healing her leg slowly with salves and small spells until the agony had turned to a dull ache.

The next morning as she shuffled in with the other workers she looked around for her bag to see if anyone had put it somewhere in her absence. Saddly it was no where to be seen, a week's work of food gone for her.

No one questioned why she smelled of hazel or had a new iron necklace around her throat. All of those things were expected now a days in this little town.

She worked diligently throughout the day, trying to brush off the feeling of eyes watching her.

She stayed closer to the factory floor, not daring to go too high where it was harder to see the workers.

A sharp whistle cut through the factory noise from above her and she looked up to see Raghnall waving to her.

Dread filled her but she obliged, hurrying up the stairs to Raghnall.

"What is it?"

"Pipe A-6 is leaking. I need you to go fix it." He stated and pointed upwards with a flashlight to a well sized pipe slowly dripping water down to the floor below.

"Alright Raghnall, I'll see what I can do." She sighed. She couldn't just brush this one off, it was in her area of the factory. She only hoped the fae wasn't close by.

Raghnall nodded and left her to her work.

The hole was a clean one, a small puncture instead of the rust she feared it might be.

She leaned back to sigh when the hole was completely sealed. That's when she felt a large hand slowly wrap around the back of her neck.

Her breath stuttered as the fae carefully turned her around, a deep set frown in his face. then he held up her bag, her 'empty' bag.

"Good offerings," He muttered and set the bag into her lap before disappearing.

Liva took a shaky breath as she clung to her bag, trying to understand what just happened.

A few days later she saw the fae again, this time grinning as he watched a worker mix a small batch of potions together.

From above he tossed something down at the worker. It was a bit of metal Liva had replaced a few days earlier and misplaced.

The worker jumped at the sudden noise beside them and sloshed the potions. In the next second the bottles exploded, the worker's gloves were burned though and he was screaming in agony as the fae laughed.

Liva felt sick as the workers around the unfortunate one ran to help him. She swallowed thickly and looked back up to see the fae watching her, a sick grin spreading across his face.

A few more weeks passed, more horrific accidents occurred and Liva's pay check was looking like it would be nothing.

On Sunday she caught a rabbit and brought it in on Monday to reheat it in one of the cooling forges when everyone else had left to go home.

She swallowed. "Fair folk, are you here? I would like to speak to you and give you an offering."

The fae appeared above, looking down at her with a slightly interested look in its face. "What is it human?"

She swallowed. "I... would like to give you offering and in return ask that you do not kill any more workers."

"I will continue to do as I please human."

"Please," She called out as the fae turned away. "Please I beg you. You are causing great suffering to the workers here. I only ask that you not play your tricks so often and so brutally so that I may bring you better offerings."

The fae turned and looked at her, his look unreadable. "Bring me something more to my power and size and we shall see." And then the fae left.


	2. Chapter 2

Liva was exhausted when she came into work early the next morning before anyone else. She had a large pot of deer soup in her hands and had gotten no sleep last night hunting and cooking the deer.

She lugged the pot up a ladder to some large cooling pipes between the front of the building and the work floor. There was an area no longer used that once was an office with a window. The door was still there hidden behind a tapestry of the factory's logo and the words "Niko's and brother's blacksmith, fabric and potion factory We keep our promises".

Inside the room was a rectangular table that was a little too tall for a human to sit at. Climbing up the chair she found the table had a small square tan and red cloth with a symbol of many circles within each other in the centre of the cloth. On the cloth was a very old goblet with a sharply pointed face carved onto it filled with water, some small purple, yellow and white crystals, there were two candles on either side of the cloth at the far side left unlit and in the centre was a slightly tarnished silver plate.

Setting the pot on the silver plate with a large spoon she collapsed in front of the table.

"Fair folk who lives here, please accept my offering so that the workers may not be harmed as often so that we may have money to give you offerings."

After she said it she must have fallen asleep because she found herself being awoken by the door behind slammed shut. She started and sat up, clumsily crawling out of the fae's way as it stormed over at a brisk pace.

She leaned against the wall, struggling to stay awake as the fae poked at the pot of soup.

When she awoke fully finally the fae was gone and the pot was empty.

Things continued like this for a while and the major injuries only came once in a while when the food was not up to the fairy's standards.

At some points the fae would take its cruel nature out on Liva because it knew she would not demand payment for her workplace injuries. She couldn't really, she wasn't really even an actual worker. Just someone payed by what she fixed.

One night at her small campfire a smaller, aquatic fairy showed up, looking furious at her.

She didn't even get a word out before the fae started.

"You make so much food yet you do not eat any of it! You are so unhealthy! Just look at you! Look at the state you're in!"

"I apologize-"

"Na-na-na-na! I am not done yet with you yet!"

Liva listened to the fae rant at her as she continued to cook the soup.

"You are going to stop this nonsense right now and eat!"

"I can't-"

"No! You are eating what you make!"

"I can't. I apologize but I just can't. The fae at the factory demands that I give him this to-"

"Tesarus is doing this?" The fae looked even more furious now.

Liva sighed softly and looked away as the fae began to rant.

The next day when she awoke the sun was high in the sky already. She knew she should be annoyed and scared that she slept away half of the day but she didn't, she just felt so tired still. Slowly she let her eyes close and could hear the little nagging fae nearby her, chanting something softly.

Finally when she awoke the next morning early as usual there was a pot of food with a little bit of birch bark reading "For that idiot Tesarus."

She lifted the pot with a heavy sigh and began to pack her things. The trip to the factory was brisk. Already a few people were clocking in but with some quick thinking and agile movements she was up the ladder and hidden in the room. Where she was met by the fae — Tesarus looking guilty as the other, smaller fae nagged at him.

"-Just because I'm the size of a human child doesn't mean I can't put you in your place Tesarus!"

The other fae mumbled something.

"Oh of course! I forgot! You're too big and bad and too firkin' lazy to feed yourself!"

Liva shuffled on her feet, unsure what she should do. She wanted to leave but it might look rude if she didn't leave the food behind. She couldn't just put the pot on the ground because that would also look rude.   
"You can't just smoosh every human you see! You'll chase them all away!"   
Liva had to look away as the smaller fae began to give the bigger one obscure hand gestures.  
"Now you are going to get your own damn meals and take less from this human AND you are going to stop killing so many humans as long as she gives you offerings! She is starving!" The fae huffed and stormed past Liva with another lewd gesture to the other fae and slammed the door behind her.   
Liva shuffled around the other fae and put the pot down. She was about to speak when the fae grabbed her.   
"What did you tell her?" He snarled.  
"N-nothing! I didn't say anything to her! I have nothing to do with this!" Liva snarled back as soon as her fear turned to rage.   
"Liar!"  
"I am not!"  
If anyone heard her screams they didn't say anything and she worked away furious and cursed the fae every time a wound stung.

At the end of her shift she was in a sour mood. Everything hurt, she was forced to work overtime again and to top it all off it was dark by the time she left the factory.

Outside of the factory she noticed a large dog in armour trotting up to her. Immediately it lightened her mood.

"Hey Cami, did you keep all the evil fairies away today?"

The dog wagged its tail and barked deeply.

"Yeah, I bet you did! You're a good boy Cami! A very good boy!" Liva smiled as she scratched the dog's ears. "You have a good night Cami!"

The dog barked again.

"Yeah, bye!" She smiled as she left the factory grounds and moved through the darkened village. It was dark now, everyone locked away in their homes. Doors covered in protection and fay warding runes. "Light." Liva whispered softly as she held up an iron stick she carried on her. 

The tip of the iron rod lit up into a small ball of light, helping her see her path a little more clearly.

She travelled through the village, past the quiet tavern, between the inns and through the stables until she reached the edges of the forest.

Just a little in past the brush was a large rock and a bed of pine needles. Carefully Liva dug into a hole under the rock and pulled out her bag, quickly setting up her threadbare cloak to become her cot and blanket for the night.

She scrubbed her hands and face furiously with a bottle of water and bowl before setting down to eat a bit more of dried meat she had. Already the light from her iron rod was dimming, the spell wearing down.

She sealed the meat with a quick spell and tucked everything into her bag to hide them in the hole again, then she pulled out her little radio to play some classical music before going to bed peacefully.

 

Cami

 


	3. Chapter 3

Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months as the fae known as Tesarus slowly began to get used to her and the accidents causing death were lowered.

"Miss Hviid!"

Liva looked up from her work at Raghnall. "What's wrong this time?" She called back.

"Oh, nothing is wrong Miss Hviid, the Misses only wanted me to ask you if you wanted to come for dinner tonight! She's making a lovely meal I hear."

"I actually think that would be lovely Raghnall. Thank you!"

"You've very welcome." The man grinned and continued on with his work.

Liva smiled softly to herself and looked over the machine she was working on. The threads seemed to be getting tangled constantly with this one machine but she just couldn't figure out why.

"Start loom five up please!" The machine rattled to life as the man below worked spells into the machine and fabric being made.

"How does it look up there?" He called back.

"Good! Call me if it acts up again!" She called back and began to climb the ladder up closer to the roof where a pipe had been flagged for a possible leak.

"When is your payday?"

Liva startled a little at the voice so close to her, dropping one of her tools. "Tesarus!"

The woman twisted herself around to stare at the bored looking fae. "I'm trying to work here, but if you must know it will be another two days."

The man nodded and disappeared off somewhere higher again.

From below a voice called up, "Uh, Lady? Ya dropped something here."

Liva looked down to see a younger man staring up at her. "Just leave it there Mr...?"

"Kinnard! Rufus Kinnard!" The man gave her a lopsided smile.

"Alright Mr. Kinnard, just leave it down there. I don't need it right now."

"Why don't I bring it up to you?"

"I don't think that's a very good idea."

But already the man was climbing up an unstable ladder. Nearby Liva could see Tesarus smiling.

"Mr. Kinnard, please! Don't come up! It's dangerous!"

"Then what would a pretty thing like you be doing up he-" The step Mr. Kinnard was holding onto with one hand snapped under his weight, making him loose his balance and fall.

Tesarus was chuckling, clearly enjoying the man's pain as he clutched the back of his head and groaned.

"Are you okay Mr. Kinnard?" Liva clutched a little tighter at the pipe she was sitting on.

The man groaned and blinked up at Liva before smiling. "Yer pretty up there against the light."

"Jarl! Mr. Kinnard needs some help!"

"Now, now, 'm quite alright." The man chuckled as he slowly sat up.

An older man came trudging up the catwalks and helped the young man up. "What are you doing up here? Go back down to the floor and get back to work! Miss. Hviid has some hard work to do!"

The young man rubbed his head as Jarl took the tool back from him and watched him trudge back down the cat walks.

"Sorry Miss. Hviid, Mr. Kinnard is a bit new here. Just started working with the weavers. He's supposed to be the new repair man."

"Well, as long as he doesn't do anything stupid like that again he should fit right in." Liva smiled. "Toss it up?"

The man huffed and tossed the tool up to her, letting her catch it with ease. "You're a mighty fine worker Miss. Hviid. Ever since you came things have been running smoother then ever."

"Just doing a job sir!" She grinned back.

Liva worked away almost silently on the machines and pipes around her, always sensing eyes on her wherever she went. She wasn't sure if they were from the fae or a human this time though.

When the whistle blew Liva sighed gratefully.

"You ready to go meet the Missus Miss Hviid?"

"Of course Raghnall, let me just clock out and then we'll go see what your wife cooked up."

Raghnall smiled. "I'm sure you'll love it Miss Hviid. The Missus makes a wonderful pie."

The lights above them flicked a little and something crackled.

The two however only smiled and laughed together as they walked through the dirt streets to one of many homes in a terraced houses. An older, plump woman in a dress answered the door.

"Raghnall! Miss Hviid, I was just about to take the pie out of the oven. Come in, come in, quickly now dear." The two of them squeezed through the narrow hallways and into the dinning room.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Žunić."

"Now, now, you can call me Marta Miss Hviid. This is a lovely, relaxed family in my home. The basin and jug are over there. Go clean up a bit. Both of you."

Liva and Raghnall scrubbed their hands from their work that day and sat down at the small wooden table.

"How have you been Miss Hviid? Any problems with the spirits?" Raghnall asked, shifting in his seat a little.

"Oh none, it's been rather quiet actually this year." She smiled back sweetly, sipping at her ale.

"I could never imagine myself living so close to that forest after meeting the fairy winter king." Marta shuttered. "Sleeping on the ground with no protection just sounds like a nightmare now."

"I find that as long as one speaks to them with respect and do not draw attention they leave me alone really."

"That's true, ever since she came to work there have been far less horrific accidents." Raghnall smiled.

"I fear that may change soon though. I hear the spirit whispering in the pipes, its planning something soon. Perhaps it would be best if people stayed away after payday for a little."

The husband and wife seemed to still and shutter a little as Liva took another sip of her drink.

"Well! Let's talk about something far more cheery shall we?" Marta smiled pleasantly. "This is my new hen, Brigid." The chicken that Liva had not noticed before clucked from its next beside the kitchen counter.

"Oh, she looks so wonderful!"

"Indeed she is. She follows me everywhere." Marta laughed. "And she keeps that nasty owl away."

The chicken clucked and flapped its wings.

"Best choice I've made for this family I say. Been nothing but good luck with her now!"

"Indeed," the man grinned.

"Now, I have a lovely deer steak pie made!" Marta smiled pleasantly as she pulled a pot out of the oven.

"Oh it does smell wonderful Marta." Liva smiled as the pot was placed on the table. "Raghnall, you are truly blessed to have such a wonderful wife."

Raghnall laughed. "Indeed I am! Why don't we drink to that?" He raised his glass with the other two and they laughed joyfully.

Liva felt wonderful for once. She was in a warm house with friends, eating wonderful food she had only dreamed about in this long days. The drinks flowed from ale to mulled wine, warming her and letting her mind slip a little. At the end of it all she ended up sleeping on the spare bed for the night, sleeping every so peacefully. She didn't even notice when the lights outside her small room shuttered and crackled a little unusually.


End file.
